Champions crowned in four divisions at 2014 Koge Youth Masters

    03/11/14

    Denmark

    2014YETLogo.jpgDanes Mathias Ankerdal, Rikke Johansen and Christopher Bengt as well as Gaetan Mouvereux of France won the titles in the 2014 Koge Youth Masters, which concluded Sunday, March 9, at Koge Bowling Center in Koge near Copenhagen, Denmark.

    With 130 players from Belgium, England, France, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Scotland and Denmark, who played more than 170 entries at the 12-laner, the tournament was completely sold out.

    Players competed for prize money (250 Euro for the winner; 200 Euro for the runner-up) and the last ranking points of the 2013-14 Youth Euro Trophy (YET) before the season-ending YET Masters Finals at the end of May at Plaza Bowling Reims-Thillois, France.

    All players bowled six games of qualifying in four age divisions (boys & girls up to 14 years of age; girls up to 18 years of age; boys up to 18 years of age; and boys & girls up to 23 years of age). Girls received 8 pins handicap per game in the mixed divisions.

    The top 8 in Division 1 & 4 and the top 16 in Division 3 & 4 advanced to the single-elimination match play finals in best-of-three games format. In each match, the highest-seeded player met the lowest-seeded player, the second highest-seeded player bowled the second lowest-seeded player, etc. 39 of 48 players in the match play finals came from Denmark.

    The tournament was contested on the 37-feet Kegel Broadway pattern, one of the higher-scoring pattern of the Kegel Navigation Patterns.

    2014KogeYouthMastersMarcusChristensen.jpg2014KogeYouthMastersMathiasAnkerdal.jpgMarcus Christensen (pictured left) of Denmark led Division 1 (14 & under) with games of 247, 234, 246, 277, 185 and 253 and 1442 total, an average of 240.33. He outaveraged his nearest competitor, Mathias Ankerdal (right; 1213), Denmark, by more than 38 pins.

    The cut for eighth place was 1075 (179.17) by Andreas Andreasen, Denmark. The top-seeded players, Christensen and Ankerdal, defeated their opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals to battle it out for the title.

    Christensen, took a 1-0 lead after the first game with a 226-192 win. Ankerdal rebounded with a huge 276-222 win in game two and 226-194 win in the decider to wrap up the title.

    2014KogeYouthMastersPolinaKharmalova.jpg2014KogeYouthMastersRikkeJohansen.jpgPolina Kharmalova (left) from Russia, who was the girls 18 and under ranking winner in the last YET event, the 14th BBWZ International Youth Tournament in the Netherlands last month, earned the top-seed for the Division 2 finals (girls 18 & under) with 1360 (226.67).

    Kira Hansen, Denmark, hit the cutoff number for 16th place with a familiar 1075 (179.17). The top 8 players won their Round of 16 matches and advanced to the quarterfinals, where second-seeded Caitlin Dicay, Denmark, was eliminated.

    Kharmalova lost in the semifinals. In the title match, No. 6 Rikke Johansen (right), Denmark, flew past No. 7 Varvara Gryaznova, 235-182 and 243-174, to sweep the Russian, 2-0. It was Johansen's first YET victory and Gryaznova's second consecutive runner-up finish.

    2014KogeYouthMastersGaetanMouvereaux.jpgOn the boys' side, the top five players broke the 1400-bar and the next eight players surpassed the 1300 mark. Martin Staschen, Denmark, used games of 244, 266, 258, 245, 247 and 185 to lead the biggest division (56 players) with the field-best 1445 total or an average of 240.83.

    Fourth-place Frederik Nielsen, Denmark, rolled a 300 game in his 1426 series. Christian Mathiasen, Denmark, took the 16th and last place to advance with 1290 (215.00).

    In the biggest upsets of the finals, No.1 Staschen and No. 4 Nielsen were sidelined in the Round of 16. No. 7 Rasmus Bering, Denmark, and No. 8 Gaetan Mouvereux (left), France, won three matches to advance to the championship round.

    Mouvereaux started with a big 254-216 win in game one, but Bering leveled the match with a one-pin win in game two, 194-193, to force a deciding third game. Mouvereaux topped his opponent, 197-174, to win the division and to become the only foreign winner of the tournament.

    2014KogeYouthMastersChristopherBengt.jpg2014KogeYouthMastersNicolajLarsen.jpgMikas Frederiksen, Denmark, finished qualifying atop the Division 4 leaderboard (23 & under) with 1432 (238.67) including games of 214, 266, 256, 248, 233 and 215. He fell to compatriot Rasmus Petersen, who finished eighth with 1180 (196.67), in the opening round quarterfinal match.

    No. 2 Nicolaj Larsen (left), Denmark, and No. 3 Rachell Wells, Scotland, were also eliminated in the opening round. No. 4 Emil Lieberkind advanced to an all-Danish title match against No. 7 Christopher Bengt (right).

    Bengt rolled to solid scores to make quick work of Lieberkind, 225-215 and 215-155, en route to secure the title.

    Match Play Results

    The Youth Euro Trophy (YET) Masters Finals are scheduled for May 30 (tbc) at Plaza Bowling Reims-Thillois, France.

     


    2014 Koge Youth Masters - Division 1 Qualifying Results


    Boys & girls up to 14 years of age. Girls receive 8 pins handicap each game. The top 8 advance to the match play finals.

     


    2014 Koge Youth Masters - Division 2 Qualifying Results


    Girls up to 18 years of age. The top 16 advance to the match play finals.

     


    2014 Koge Youth Masters - Division 3 Qualifying Results


    Boys up to 18 years of age. The top 16 advance to the match play finals.

     


    2014 Koge Youth Masters - Division 4 Qualifying Results


    Boys & girls up to 23 years of age. Girls receive 8 pins handicap each game. The top 8 advance to the match play finals.

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